Earth moving implements



July 6, 1965 J. c. BAMFORD EARTH MOVING IMPLEMENTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 22, 1963 Inventor Jags! Cbfi/L qnmno ware.

July 6, 1965 J. c. BAMFORD 3, 93,110

EARTH MOVING IMPLEMENTS Filed Oct. 22, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor 'f' 2755 C 1mm ZHNFORD United States Patent 3,193,110 EARTH MUVING IMPLEMENTS Joseph C. Bamford, Uttoxeter, England, assignor to J. C. Bamford (Excavators) Limited, Rocester, England, a British company Filed Oct. 22, 1963, Ser. No. 31$, l45 Claims. (Cl. 212145) This invention relates to a mechanical excavator which operates from the rear or front of a tractor and comprises a boom pivotally mounted about its lower end for movement in a vertical plane, and in which the boom, in addition to its up and down movement in a vertical plane, is capable of traversing horizontally so that it can be swung from side to side. The boom has pivotally connected at or near its outer end, a digging arm which carries a digging or excavating bucket, face shovel or like tool.

This type of mechanical excavator is mounted upon a sub frame which is carried from the tractor and hitherto suchsub frame has been fitted with a pair of extensible legs disposed one one each side and capable of being 'soft or boggy ground as the legs tend to sink into the ground.

The object of the invention is to provide improvements relating to a mechanical excavator of the type specified to enable the machine to be more elhciently worked in soft or boggy ground.

According to the invention there is provided a stabilising device for the sub frame of a mechanical excavator of the type specified comprising an elongated member in the form of a beam which is provided at two positions spaced apart along its length with pivotal connections to enable it to be pivotally connected to the lower ends of the extensible legs of the sub frame, at least one of such pivotal connections including a lost motion connection to enable one leg to be extended to a greater or lesser amount than the other and the underside of such elongated member having one or more downwardly extending projections which penetrate the ground to form an anchorage for the sub frame.

For example, the elongated beam may be of inverted channel section so that the downwardly presented flanges provide membersfor penetrating the ground to form an anchorage and additional anchorage may be provided on the underside of such beam by the provision of one or 1 more ribs of V section preferably extending lengthwise of the beam.

There may be provided a pivotal connection on the upper side of the beam at or near each end thereof and one such connection may be of the pin and slot type to provide the desired lost-motion which enables one leg to presented by the underside of the beam together with the downwardly extending projections will ensure a firm and stable support and anchorage for the sub frame. I The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a mechanical ex- "ice cavator operating from the rear of a tractor vehicle, the bucket having been removed.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective'view showing the stabilising device enlarged.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of the stabilising beam.

FIGURE 4 is a section on line 4-4 in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of a modified form of stabilising beam.

FIGURE 6 is an underneath plan view on FIGURE 5.

Referring briefly to FIGURE 1, the arrangement shown is generally well-known and comprises a tractor vehicle 10 having at the rear a sub-frame 11 upon which the excavator is mounted. The excavator comprises a boom 12 and digging arm 13 with connectors at 14 for the digging bucket or other tool (not shown). The sub-frame 11 has extensible legs 15 to the lower ends of which is connected the stabilising device 16, according to the invention and now described in more detail.

In the embodiment of stabilising device shown in FIG- URES 1-4, the beam 16 is constructed so that it can be easily and rapidly detachably connected to the lower ends of the pair of legs 15 which are provided on the sub frame.

In the example shown in FIGURE 1, the sub frame 11 comprises a pair of spaced apart upright pillars 17 of hollow box-like section rigidly connected together by transversely extending base members 17 and the assembly of boom, digging arm, bucket, and king post about which the boom traverses, is mounted upon the beam members 18 in such manner that it may be adjusted therealong to move the position of the excavator in relation to the centre line of the tractor so that, if desired, the excavator can be moved to one side or the other when a particular operation, such as ditching, is being performed at a position oifset to one side of the tractor, or when working alongside an obstruction such as a wall.

Each upright pillar 17 of the sub frame has slidably mounted therein a leg 15 which is capable of controlled telescopic movement inwards and outwards of the upright pillar and preferably this movement is provided by means of a hydraulic ram housed within the upright pillar. The legs 15 are capable of being extended independently so that one can be moved downwardly to a greater extent or a lesser extent than the other according to the ground conditions encountered.

The stabilising device for use with such sub frame comprises a beam 16 of inverted channel section providing two downwardly extending side flanges 19 substantially at right angles to the flat base 20 of the channel and in the form shown in FlGURES 14 the length of such beam may be approximately the same or somewhat greater than the distance between the legs of the sub frame.

At each end, plates 21 are secured, as by welding across the open ends of the channel to close these and also a further plater22 is secured between the side flanges 19 of the inverted channel at a distance spaced inwardly from each end.

Extending between these two inner transverse plates 22 there is provided a rib 23 of V form and this may take the form of an angle section bar welded at its ends to the inner transverse plates 22.

At one end the beam has welded to its upper side a pair of upstanding plates 24 spaced apart transversely of the beam and each plate being in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the beam and each such plate has secured thereto an apertured block 25 forming a pivot bearing for the pivot pin 26 which connects this end of the beam pivotally to one end of one of the legs 15 of the sub frame.

The other end of the beam has secured thereto a further pair of plates 26 of somewhat larger dimensions than the previously mentioned plates and each of such further plates is provided with a block 27 having formed therein an elongated slot 28 with its axis extending in a direction of the length of the beam and these slots are adapted:

to receive the ends of rasecond pivot pin 29 to pivotally connect this end of the beam tothe other leg 15 on the sub frame. "Thus, at this endthere isja lost motion pivotal connection between the elongated beam and the extensible leg so that one leg can be extended to a greater'or lesser degree than the other and the beam'can take-up a posi-v tion inclined to the horizontal according to'the particular ground conditions encountered, as is'shown in the twoiflclined positions of the beam shown in broken lines in erating for. considerable periodsof time'to one'side of the centre line of the tractor and where a greater degree of is a stability will be required on this side of the machine;

then the elongated beam may be extended at one end (as shown in FIGURES and 6) .so as'to be of substantially greater length than the'distance between the legs of a the sub frame and also at this end the two plates 30 "Projections on the underside of'said beam. 1

which have the elongated slots 31 for pivotal connection a V I having a pair of; extensible legs'disposed one at each side,

to one ofthe legs of the sub frame may themselves be extended as at 32 towards the extremity of the beam to v add additional strength and rigidity to this projecting end 7 of the beam. 7 1 i a i V Whilstit isalso possible to provide a beamtwith the to the longitudinal axis'of the beam, a block secured to each plate and having an openingfpassing through'the block and plate for reception of a pivot pin, at least one of said pivotal connecting means having provision for sub-frame; and downwardly extending projections on the pivotal-connecting means spaced .apart'longitudinally of the beam on the upper side thereof, and adapted for connection one toeach of the legs 'of 'thels'ub-frame, each connection comprising a pair of spaced parallel plates upstanding from the beam and extending in planes parallel to the longitudinal "axis of the beam; the plates of one pair each having an elongated aperture'the-rein to receive 'a pivot pin making a lost-motion connection to the associated leg 'of the sub-frame and downwardly extending 4. In or for a mechanical excavator of the type specified having a boom pivotally mounted upon a sub-frame a stabilising device comprising; an elongated beam, two pivotal connecting means spaced apart longitudinally of the beam on the upper side thereof, and adapted for co nnection one toeach of the legs of the sub-frame, at least one of said pivotal connecting means having provision for shown in FIGURE 5 as itis a simple operation to remove the beam and'reverse it endfor endfso as tohave an extension on'the other side ifitjis desired to 'cha nge 1 the operation of-the implement from ar ditching' opera-y tion at one side of thetractor to a similar operation at the other side; a a a What I claim is: V

" 1; In or for a mechanical excavator of the-type, speci fied having a boom pivotally mounted'upon ;a sub-frame having-a pair of extensible legs disposed one at eachside, aastabilising device comprising; .an elongated beam, two pivotal connecting means spaced apartilongitudinally of the beam onlthe upper side thereof; and adapted for. connection one to'each of the legs of vthe sub-frame at least one of, said pivotal, connecting means having provision the sub-frame, 'and'downwardly extending-projections on the underside offsaid beam.

., 2.; In or for a mechanical excavator. of the type 'lostfmotion in its connection to the associated leg of the sub-framasaid beam being ofinverted; channel form having downwardly 7 presented side flanges and a down 7 Wardly presented 'v'secfionl 1 the underside of w the ai Of the bearnj I a I T 5; Inflopfor mechanicalexcavator of the type specified having a boom pivotally mounted upon a sub-frame I having a pair of extensiblelegs disposedone at each side," 7 astabilising device comprising; an elongated beanntwo pivotal connecting means spaced apart longitudinally of the beam on'the upper side'thereof, and adap'ted for connection onelto eachof the legs ofthe"sub-frameeeach connection comprising a pair of spaced parallel plates upw for lost-motion in its connection to' the associated leg of standing from the beam and extending in planes parallel channelform having downwardly presented side flanges,

a stabilising devicecomprising; an" elongated beam; two

standing from the beam and extending in planeslparalleh a side of the baseof the beams i C SAMUEL Primary Examiner. '7

and adownwardlypresented' Y-section rib onjthe under- J 1 I I f i i fied having a boom pivotally mounted upon a sub-frame J V g 7 having a pair of extensible legs disposed one at each side, I

' I; References' Cited byjthe Examiner NITED STATES PATENTS 

1. IN OR FOR A MECHANICAL EXCAVATOR OF THE TYPE SPECIFIED HAVING A BOOM PIVOTALLY MOUNTED UPON A SUB-FRAME HAVING A PAIR OF EXTENSIBLE LEGS DISPOSED ONE AT EACH SIDE A STABILISING DEVICE COMPRISING; AN ELONGATED BEAM, TWO PIVOTAL CONNECTING MEANS SPACED APART LONGITUDINALLY OF THE BEAM ON THE UPPER SIDE THEREOF, AND ADAPTED FOR CONNECTION ONE TO EACH OF THE LEGS OF THE SUB-FRAME, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID PIVOTAL CONNECTING MEANS HAVING PROVISION FOR LOST-MOTION IN ITS CONNECTION TO THE ASSOCIATED LEG OF THE SUB-FRAME, AND DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING PROJECTIONS ON THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID BEAM. 